Career as a Waiter/Waitress

As a waiter or waitress you are responsible for aiding customers decide upon a meal, relaying their choice to the kitchen staff, and being as personable and as knowledgeable about the restaurant and its menu as possible. This includes knowledge of the dishes on the menu as well as the wine list.

Many wait staff obtain on the job training by starting at a low paying short order or family restaurant. The more experience a waiter/waitress obtains the easier it is to secure employment in a better paying, finer dining restaurant/cruise ship/catering company.

Wait staff will be moving constantly and are usually responsible for more than one table, meaning they need management skills. A good memory can come in hand when taking numerous orders; sometimes customers will change the item from how it appears on the menu. Wait staff are on their feet for their entire shift and usually work for eight hours. They should be in fairly good physical condition. Often they will work on a shift work basis due to restaurants being open at various hours outside of the regular nine to five workday.

Wait staff should be friendly, open to communication, able to work under pressure and work in a stressful situation. Customer service skills and communication skills are a necessity.

Other restaurant and food services career choices

Other career choices